PAGE 0
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 0, 1011.
ARANCt
E
IIS H DF
Leonardo's Painting Is Re
garded as the Finest
In the World
I 11 1"
ii mm
"Duchess of Devonshire" Was
Returned After Quarter
of a Century
83-
By JAMES A. EDCERTON.
THE disappearance of the fa
mous "Mona Idsa" of Leonardo
da Vlncl from the Louvre, nt
Paris, Is tho latest nine days'
Wonder In the 'world of art. This great
painting, also known as "La Glo-j
condo," has been pronounced by many ,
tho finest in the world. It certainly I
stands In a list of tho world's half'
dozen greatest paintings and in popu
lar regard perhaps ranks second onlyi
to tho "Slstlnc Madonna" by Ilaphacl.
Some think "Tho Last Supper," also I
by Da Vinci, greater than "Mona j
Lisa," but this sort of comparison is
fruitless, as tho two paintings are
qulto different In subject and treat
ment Walter Pater pronounced "La
Giocondo" as "in tho truest sense
Leonardo's masterpiece."
The painting is a portrait of Ma
donna Lisa del Giocondo, third wife
of Francesco del Giocondo of Flor
ence, both of whom would have been
forgotten centuries ago but for the
genius of Leonardo. It is said that
tho painter worked at this master
piece four years and then pronounced
it unfinished. To keep tho haunting
smile on tho subject's face he had
music and jesters in tho studio. As
wo now know it the painting has lost
somo of tho exquisite lines and hues
it had on leaving Da Vinci's band,
since It has faded through the cen
turies and has been retouched. Yet
even in this imperfect state it has
charmed the world.
Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452,
the natural son of a Florentine notary
and a peasant woman. He was cele
brated not only as a painter, but ns a
sculptor, architect, pngineer nnd scien
tist. He engaged in various engineer
ing and architectural works, divided
his timo between Milan, Venice and
.Florence nnd toward the end of his
life was attached to tho court of tho
king of France, where he died. Out
side of his many paintings ho did
much in sculpture, little of which sur
vives. Ho also accomplished mnny
works in the lino of engineering and
architecture, these being his chief vo
cations. In'sclence he was in advance
of his age, being especially versed in
anatomy. As an artist ho was a con
temporaryand in somo senses a com
petitorof Michelangelo and a teacher
of Ilaphacl, Fro Bartolommeo and oth
ers almost, as illustrious. His schools
at Milan, Florence and elsewhcro wero
tho beginning of n new era hi Italian
art. Ho was great not only as a pro
ducer, but as an lnspirer of others. By
many ho is regarded as tho most uni
versal genius of. tho renaissance period.
In person Leonardo was handsome,
with a fine face, great physical
strength nnd charm of manner. Among
his other accomplishments ho was a
musician. His "Mona Lisa" was paint
ed about 1505, when ho was more than
fifty years old. It was bought by tho
king of Franco and has since been tho
property of the French nation and in
more recent years tho pride and tho
greatest ornament of the Louvro,
where it has been admired by millions
from generation to generation.
Every one Is familiar with the paint
ing or with prints of it, Perhapa more
oopies, photographs, engravings nnd
other reproductions have been mado
of this than of any other painting' in
the world. Ono of tho proofs of its
quality is that tho artistic and popular
verdicts on it agree. Usually tho com
mon herd Is enraptured with things
that the art critics pronounce daubs,
and tho art critics aro enchanted with
somo impressionistic thing that is a
blank to tho man on tho street Dut
"Mona Lisa" is so supremely great
that it levels all ranks nnd compels
praiso from artist and layman alike.
The face, with its dowy eyes and
faint Bmlle, contains everything that
charms ua in womanhood. It is spir
itual, yet has touches of the "earth
earthy," alluring and still elevated and
sweet Tho charm Is one that oludes
analysis, as is the case with all that
is finest not only in painting, music
and poetry, but in nature. Tho effect
is wonderfully heightened by nn al
most weird background of rocks and
streams. This and the uphinxllko ex
pression of tho faco giva n 'mystical
element to tho picture that has per
haps proved its greatest charm. But
I am not enough of a highbrow in art
to trust myself to describe it and re
produce tho estimate of Walter Pater
In ono of tho finest pieces 6f writing
In English literature.
"Wo nil know," ho says, "tho face
and hands of tho figure, set in its mar
ble chair In that cirque, of fantastic
rocks, as in some faint light under
sea. Perhaps of all ancient pictures
timo has chilled it least"
Ho then goes on to descrlbo the
painting as n creation of tho artist's
train and soul rather than a por
trait of n flesh and blood person. Its
Infinite appeal is greater ' than could
have eomo from any physical likeness,
but rather arises from an indefinable
something not subject to decay, some
thing carrying a breath from the eter
nal country. To return to Pater;
The presence that thus roao so atraneety
bosldo the waters Is expressive ot what
In the ways of a thousand years men had
come to desire. Hera is the head upon
Tohlnh all "(hn nnrta of thj world are
-
come," nnd the eyelids are a little weary
It Is a beauty Vroiight out from within
upon the flesh, tho deposit, little cell hy
cell, of strange thoughts and fantastic
reveries and exquisite passions. Set t
for a moment beside ono of those while
Greek goddesses or beautiful 'women of
antiquity, and how would they bo troubled
by this beauty, Into which the soul with
all Its maladies has passedl All the
thoughts and ezperlenoe of the world have
etched and molded there. In that which
they havo of power to refine and make
oxpresttlve tho outward form, the animal
Ism of Greece, tho lust of Rome, the
reverie of tho middle ages, with Its spir
itual ambition and Imaginative loves, the
return of tho pagan world, the sins of the
Borglas.
Sho la older than tho rocks among which
she sits. Like the vampire, she has been
dead many times and learned the secrets
of the gravo, and has been a diver In deep
seas, and keeps their fallen day about
her, and trafficked for strange webs with
eastern merchants, and as Leda was the
mother of Helen of Troy, and as St. Anne
the mother of Mary, and all this has been
to her but as the sound of lyres and
flutes and Uvea only In the delicacy with
which it has molded tho changing linea
ments and tinged tho eyelids and the
hands.
The loss of this picture Is regarded
by tho French ns a national calamity.
To them It is not only priceless, but
a part of their very life. It has been re
ported, and Is probably true, that the
French government once refused an
offer of $5,000,000 for tho painting.
tlon of tno act. That goes, paradox ana
all.
An interesting fact In this connection
is that several months ago it was re
ported In tho public prints that "Mona
Lisa" had been stolen and a copy sub
stituted in its place. This wns after
word denied, but tho disappearance
now makes it seem a strange coinci
dence, almost a prophecy.
There is one other possible explana
tion. It Is notorious that in Europe
the trade of making fake "old mas
ters" flourishes apace, chiefly for the
purpose of gulling American million
aires. These copies are properly aged
by processes that the fakers know and
nro then sold for fabulous prices to
those who have more money than ex
pert knowledge or perhaps real appre
ciation of "old masters." To do this
work fakers have to ppssess originals
in order that the copy may be as
nearly pcrfoct ns possible. Sometimes
these imitations aro so close that they
fool even the experts.
Somo sucli an organization of fakers
may have taken tho "Mona Lisa" for
copying purposes,, expecting afterward
to return tho origlnnl or a clover du
plicate for n ransom. This would bo
so hazardous a game, however, that
even a league of criminals would
hardly run the risk.
Mnny pictures havo been stolen in
tho past but nono even approaching
the value of, "Mona Lisa." Tho most
famous case in modern times was the
theft of Gainsborough's famous por
trait of the "Duchess of Devonshire."
The "electioneering duchess" sho was
called, having been nctivo in her hus
band's political canvasses. This paint
ing was missing nearly a quarter of a
century and was finally returned
through tho instrumentality of tho lato
Pnt Sheedy, tho "square" gamblor.
Sheedy's version of the affair was that
the thief was Adam Worth, whom
Sheedy regarded as the greatest crimi
nal of the last century. Tho painting
was originally Btolen to bo used in an
Masculine Dross Hotorm.
The Men's Dress Reform society has
been foundsd in Berlin, with the ob
ject of briuglng.mnscullno nttlre to a
higher hygienic standard. Tho society
protests ngainst the "air tight armor
plating" of tho starched sulrtfront, tho
cost iron rule of black frock coats for
weddings and funerals nllkc and tho
general system of dress which Involves
tho wearing of many tight fitting gar
ments, each overlapping tho other.
The society is greatly in favor of knee
breeches for everyday wear in placo of
tho conventional trousers, which. Its
members declare, require great skill in
cutting and nro a source of considera
ble trouble to tho wearer. Stiff collars
and cuffs nro nlso taboo.
The Battle of New Orleans.
It has been proposed that the centen
nial of tho battle of Now Orleans,
Jnn. 8. 1815, should be celebrated In
grand stylo nnd that the United States
government as its contribution to the
undertaking should appropriate sulll-
Icient money .to build n magnificent
road for automobiles and other vehi
cles from Detroit on tho lakes, where
the Ignominious surrender of General
I Hull, with 10,000 United States troops,
made the most humiliating event in
I tho history of that war, to New Or
leans, where the only rcnl victory and
' glory for tho nntlonal nrms were won.
A King's Private Directory.
Great is the part which the humble
card index system plays in tho social
I life of King George of England. Peo
ple presented to him are invariably as
tonished nnd flattered to find that ho
knows all about them, their family
and their achievements, no puts some
klndlv nuestlon that shows intimate
THE "MONA LISA."
Upon its disappearance tho Louvro
was closed for several days, n large
force of police was sot to work search
ing every nook and cranny of tho
great building, and sixty detectives
were started working on tho outside.
Ono of the theories of tho authorities
was that tho thief was a young man
who wns known to hnve become enam
ored of tho painting nnd who had
visited it at intervals for several
months, sitting before it with a rapt
expression for hours together. They
believe that ho fell in lovo with the
face, ns painters have been known to
become enamored of their own works,
and grew lnsano upon the subject his
mania finally prompting tho crlmo.
So much wero people affected by this
masterpleoe that somo shed tears at
6ight of it Not a few letters havo
been received at the Louvro addressed
to "Mona Lisa" and expressing love
to her as to a living person.
That the deed was tho work of some
deranged person seems almost certain
for the reason that the plcturo could
not be disposed of - nnd boncq would bo
without value to the thief. A painting
is only valuable when shown. If tho
criminal could dlsposo of it to n pri
vate collector and t cannot 'bo con
ceived that any thief would dare to
offer it, fpr Bale or that any collector
would be bo foolish or depraved as to
buy it such collector would not dare
exhibit it for fear of detection. While
there are many copies of tho painting
that tho average man could hardly de
tect from tho original, thero aro al
ways those who can distinguish, and
now that the wholo world is on the
lookout for tho picture every copy will
bo subjected to closer inspection.
Moreover, an old, master- is chiefly val
uablo becauso it is an original,, and to
bo able to refer to it as such and to
know in his heart that the claim is
true constitute its chiof value to the
collector; hence insanity of ono form
or another Is the only rational explana-
effort toget one of Worth's accom
plices out of Jail. Tho mna escaped
on n technicality, however, and Worth
had tho plcturo on his bands. He did
not dare to sell It or even to mention
Its. existence. The painting was kept
in a hermetically scaled caso in the
false bottom of a trunk. The Pinker
tons, who were set to work on tho
case, believed that Worth was tho
thief, but could not prove it
This is where Sheedy came into tho
case. Worth had at one time done
Sheedy a kindness $2,000 worth of
kindness, to bo exact Pinkerton heard
of this and asked Sheedy that if ho
ever saw Worth again to find out about
tho Gainsborough. Som years later,
when Sheedy was running a gambling
Joint in Constantinople, ho received
word from Adam Worth, who was in
trouble, as usual. Sheedy, of course,
more than' mado good tho former loan
and got Worth out Ho then men
tioned the matter of the Gainsborough,
and Worth replied that ho was on tho
point of breaking tho ico on that sub
ject himself. Tho upshot of it all wns
that Sheedy acted as a .go-between,
got the picture out of tho false bottom
of' tho trunk where it was in storage
in Boston, bad the British owners over
to examine it, collected tho $25,000 re
ward, presumably turned over tho
money to Adam Worth nnd hla pals
and as a result of the incident got into
"art" himself.
Worth was so- grateful for Sheedy's
action in tho Gainsborough affair
that beforo his death bo insisted on
giving Pat an original Murillo which
had been stolen out of some monastery.
When this came into his hands Sheedy
tried to find tho rightful owners, ad
vertising extensively in South America
nnd elsewhere, but failed. Some years
later ho beard that Itolsull, the Moroc
can handlt, had In, his possession a
OorregglQ, which was also obtained.
'Pnt's reputation as a connoisseur In
high art was made.
FOR SHERIFF
L. l STARK.
Candidate on Republican Ticket.
Primaries Sept. 150. Your "Sup
port Earnestly Solicited. CSeltf
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
TREASURER.
G. W. TAYLOR,
Torrey, Pa.
FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
knowledge. The explanation ncs jn
tho card index. Nobody has access to
the king without nnjippointment or an
invitation, so that he has always timo
to consult tho privnto directory and to
know' precisely what tho person ho is
going to meet has done.
Drink Traffic In France.
Franco is well supplied with places
for tho solo of drink. We read in a
Paris newspaper that there is one.
drinking placo for every eighty per
sonsin other words, for every thirty
men. In certain departments we find
one "debit" for every thirty-six per
sons, nnd in the Pas do Calais thero Is
ono for every fifteen inhabitants,
which, in other words, means a drink
shop for every seven men. In Paris
there aro 30,000 such places, in London
5,800, Edinburgh 340 and Moscow 314,
-London Globe. t
A Moving Land.
Ono of the brood slopes of Mont Grin
guez, France, is reported to havo be
come detached from its foundations
and to havo moved over a distance of
nearly a quarter, of a mile, carrying
with it the soil, meadows and woods
and covering up in its passage roads
and bridges that stood in tho way. A
chestnut grove has traveled 500 feet
without suffering any apparent dam
age, but many small lakes have been
formed by tho damming of tho waters.
Scientific American.
JOSEPH N. WELCH
Fire
Insurance
The OLDEST Fire Insurance
Agency in Wayne County.
Office: Second floor Masonic Build
ing, over 0. 0. Jadwin's drug store,
Honadale.
M. LEE BRAMAN
EVERYTHING UNLIVERY
Buss for Every Train and
Town Calls.
Horses always for salp
To the Republican Voters of Wayne:
I hereby announce myself as a can
didate for the ofllee of County Com
missioner, subject to the decision of
the Primaries to be held on. Sept. 30.
It will be impossible for me to see
my large number of the voters. I
therefore take this method of an
nouncing myself as a candidate and
soliciting your vote at tho Primaries.
MINOR DROWN,
White Mills, Pa.
WHson Didn't either parent want
tho child?
Dodd No; the" cook, promised to stay
with tho smaller family. Brooklyn
Life.
"Crooked weights and measures havo
bee used since tho year 8(50 B. C."
"What makes you so positive of tho
date?" ".That's when weights and
measures wero invented." Birming
ham Age-Herald.
Baked beans when I'm hungry;
Buttermilk when I'm dry;
Greenbacks when I'm hard up;
Heaven when I die.
FOR COUNTY COMJnSSIONER.
I hereby announce myself as a,
candidate lor me nomination ior tno
office of County Commissioner sub
ject to the decision of the Republi
can voters at the coming, primaries.
EARL ROCKWELL,
Lake Arlol, Pa.
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Williams' Indian Pile Ointment Is pre
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WILLKMS MFG. CO.. Props.. Cleveland, Ohli
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C. O. JADWIN.
W. C. SPRY
AUCTIONEER
HOLDS SALES ANYWHERE
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Boarding and Accomodations
for Farmers
Prompt and polite attention
at all times.
ALLEN HOUSE BARN
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Designer and Man
ufacturer of
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CLOSING OUT SUMMER MODS IT LESS
COST
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MENNER & CO. Keystone Stores.
Consisting of Made Up Goods for Ladies,
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Newest Styles. House Dresses, Wrappers &
Kimonas, White Lawn and Marquisette One
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Kimona Shirt Waists and High and Low
Neck Waists. Long Coats in Lightweight
Wool, Pongee and Linen. Separate Skirts and
Jackets will be sold low to close out all re
maining stock.
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